Journal: Biomicrofluidics

Article Title: “Learning on a chip:” Microfluidics for formal and informal science education

doi: 10.1063/1.5096030

Figure Lengend Snippet: Microchannel fabrication techniques. (a) Shrink-film generation of masters for PDMS devices. (Top) Laser-printed polyolefin sheets shrink biaxially by 95%. (Bottom) PDMS is cured on the polyolefin master. Adapted with permission from Nguyen et al., Biomicrofluidics 5(2), 022209 (2011). Copyright 2011 AIP Publishing LLC. (b) Laminate microfluidic device from laser-cut tape and acrylic sheets. Acrylic (blue) layers are cut to define the channels and adhesive tape (yellow) is used to laminate the layers together. Reproduced with permission from Gerber et al., Biomicrofluidics 9(6), 064105 (2015), Copyright 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. (c) Print-cut-laminate fabrication method. (i) Polyester sheets with adhesive toner (blue) and hydrophilic valves (black) as well as cut channels are assembled on a guide scaffold. (ii) A conventional office laminator is used to laminate the sheets together into (iii) a single device. (iv) A completed PCL device for centrifugal microfluidics. Adapted from Thompson et al., Nat. Protoc. 10, 875–886 (2015). Copyright 2015 Springer Nature. (d) 3D printed masters for PDMS chips. (Left) A CAD rendering of a chip master showing a serpentine microfluidic channel, posts for tubing connections, and a lip to create a trough for casting PDMS. (Right) A completed PDMS devices. Adapted with permission from Comina et al., Lab Chip 14(2), 424–430 (2014). Copyright 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry. (e) ESCARGOT method for creating channels in PDMS. (Top) 3D printed ABS scaffolds are submerged in PDMS, which is then cured. Acetone is then used to dissolved the ABS scaffold, resulting in a network of microchannels. (Bottom) Complex architectures such as spirals (blue) around a single channel (red) are possible. Adapted from V. Saggiomo and A. H. Velders, Adv. Sci. 2(9), 1500125 (2015). Copyright 2015 Author(s), licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 License. (f) Modular LEGO® microfluidic system. (Left) Different building blocks are engraved with different functionalities and can be snapped together on a LEGO® baseplate. (Right) Microfluidic modules are formed from channels milled into the side of a LEGO® brick, which are sealed with a sealing film. An O-ring ensures a tight connection with an adjacent module. The post allows bricks to be snapped together with a third brick or plate. Adapted with permission from C. E. Owens and A. J. Hart, Lab Chip 18(6), 890–901 (2018). Copyright 2018 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Article Snippet: However, though costs decrease with scale, these chips are still relatively expensive. (e.g., at the time of writing, a simple single channel chip design is listed as €36.20 each from the Microfluidic Chip Shop, www.microfluidic-chipshop.com .

Techniques: Adhesive